The effect of red palm oil (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) on skin hydration in streptozotocin-induced diabetic white rat models

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is frequently associated with cutaneous complications, including xerosis cutis, due to impaired skin barrier function. Red palm oil (RPO; Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) contains bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and barrier-repair properties that may improve skin hydration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of topical RPO on skin hydration in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat models. Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n=8 each): normal control (G1), untreated diabetic (G2), diabetic treated with 10% urea cream (G3), and diabetic treated with RPO (G4). Diabetes was induced using STZ and confirmed by blood glucose measurement. Treatments were applied once daily for 28 days to a standardized dorsal skin area. Skin hydration was assessed using a Corneometer®. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey post hoc test. Skin hydration differed significantly among groups (p<0.001). The highest mean hydration was observed in the normal group (34.13 arbitrary units [AU]), while the lowest was in untreated diabetic rats (14.38 AU). RPO treatment significantly increased skin hydration (29.00 AU) compared to untreated diabetic rats (p<0.001) and urea-treated rats (p<0.001). No significant difference was found between the RPO-treated and normal groups (p=0.082). To conclude, topical RPO significantly improves skin hydration in diabetic rats, with effects comparable to normal skin and superior to 10% urea cream. RPO shows potential as a therapeutic agent for diabetes-associated xerosis.